1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates generally to the fields of immunology and gene delivery. More particularly, the application relates to an in vitro human B lymphopoiesis culture system for programming human B cells to make an antibody of interest.
2. Description of the Related Art
Antibodies are naturally occurring proteins produced by immune systems that play an important role in fighting infections and eliminating pathogenic factors. Antibodies exert their functions by binding protein or non-protein antigens and triggering a defensive response.
B cells are lymphocytes that play a major role in antibody-producing. During normal hematopoiesis, B-cell populations are generated from hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow and become activated. Upon activation, the B cells begin to differentiate into more specialized cells, including antibody-secreting plasmablasts and plasma cells.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop an efficient in vitro culture system that supports human B-lineage development and facilitates the differentiation of B cells to produce any antibody of interest.